The ability to catch and quickly field a ball with proper form/technique (i.e., quick feet and soft hands) is a valuable skill in baseball and softball. While standard baseball gloves allow even novice players to catch balls fairly easily, it is common for a novice player to use improper form when fielding the ball. Such improper form can include, but is not limited to, reaching for and only using the glove to catch a ball that is put into play without using proper footwork to center ones body in front of the ball. However, when fielding a ground ball, for example, it is best practice to center ones body in front of the ball and to use both the glove and the free hand to catch the ball. In this instance, it is desired to use the glove to slow or impede the ball while trapping the ball in the glove with ones bare hand (i.e., free hand) and using the free hand to grasp the ball. After properly fielding the ball, the player can then immediately throw the ball to another player using his free hand. In contrast, when a player uses improper form and catches a the ball using only the glove, a player must then reach into the glove with his free hand and retrieve the ball, and these actions can cost the player valuable seconds and prevent effective fielding of the ball. Thus, it is essential to train players to use proper form/technique (e.g., quick feet and soft hands) to secure the ball with their free hand to help prevent potential errors during a game.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,051 describes a baseball fielding training aid according to the prior art. A rigid flat plate 4 is used in place of a standard glove and attaches to the hand via straps 8. Thus, while the aid may be used to slow a ball similar to a standard glove, a player using this glove in practice is not able to catch the ball with this glove without using his free hand, thereby forcing the player to develop good fielding habits.